Stretch towel

ABSTRACT

A woven terrycloth stretch fabric includes: weft yarns arranged along a first direction; first and second ground warp yarns arranged along a second direction, the first and second ground warp yarns being looped around the weft yarns with a first degree of tightness. Face loop warp yarns and back loop warp yarns are looped around the weft yarns with a second lesser degree of tightness, the ground warp yarns together with the weft yarns, together forming a base ground of the terrycloth stretch fabric. The plurality of face loop warp yarns and the plurality of back loop warp yarns each loop around the weft yarns so as to form front and back piles of the terrycloth stretch fabric. At least one of the ground warp yarns has a composite yarn comprising a cotton yarn having a polyolefin-based elastic yarn core.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 62/886,108, filed on Aug. 13, 2019, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to stretchy terrycloth towels, and a terrycloth towel with a stretchiness feature, and a preparation method thereof.

Description of the Related Art

A towel is one kind of textile fabric that is used for various purposes in everyday life. Normally it is woven fabric made of either cotton or cotton-polyester and is used to absorb moisture on the body after bathing or other purposes. There are various types of towels, such as bath towels, beach towel, hair towel, hand towel etc.

Terrycloth towels have been used as drying cloths, but have also been used in making clothing. Without regard to figure, age or sex, terrycloth is now being used as body and hair wraps for use after bath, spa or sports. Traditional, e.g., 100% cotton terrycloth towels, have a limited dimension, and no stretchability. In view of this lack of stretchability, traditional terrycloth towels or wraps fall off easily while wrapping, making the wearer feel uncomfortable and unsecure while moving or bending.

Moreover, because of the low thread density in weaving terrycloth, it has been very hard to use individual stretch fibers, such as spandex (i.e., elastane) fibers in terrycloth, because the low density of terrycloth makes it difficult to keep the spandex fibers in place, especially during care by a washing machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a stretchy terrycloth towel and a preparation method for producing stretchy terrycloth towels, with a stretchiness feature, that provides additional fit performance and improve comfort in wrapping the towel on, e.g., for body and hair.

The present invention remedies the conventional problems by providing the stretch together with the physical stability of terrycloth, and provides a terrycloth with excellent elasticity using a composite yarn comprising cotton with a spandex core, which provides excellent handleability upon weaving.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention a woven terrycloth stretch fabric includes: a plurality of weft yarns arranged along a first direction so as to form a weft base; a plurality of first ground warp yarns arranged along a second direction; a plurality of second ground warp yarns arranged along the second direction, the first and second ground warp yarns being looped around the weft yarns with a first degree of tightness; a plurality of face loop warp yarns; and a plurality of back loop warp yarns, the face loop and back loop yarns being looped around the weft yarns with a second degree of tightness, less tight than the first degree of tightness. The first and second ground warp yarns, together with the weft yarns, together form a base ground of the terrycloth stretch fabric. The plurality of face loop warp yarns and the plurality of back loop warp yarns each loop around the weft yarns so as to form front and back piles of the terrycloth stretch fabric. At least one selected from the group consisting of the first and second ground warp yarns comprises a composite yarn comprising a cotton yarn having a core made of polyolefin-based elastic yarn.

In another aspect, each of the first and second ground warp yarns comprise a two-ply composite yarn, the two-ply composite yarn comprising a cotton yarn twisted together with the composite yarn having the core made of polyolefin-based elastic yarn.

In another aspect, the twist per inch of the core of polyolefin based elastic yarn of the composite yarn is 8.5 TPI.

In another aspect, the core of polyolefin based elastic yarn of the composite yarn is more than 100 dtex.

In another aspect, the cotton yarn that is twisted together with the composite yarn having the core made of polyolefin-based elastic yarn to form the 2-ply composite yarn comprises staple cotton fibers spun yarn in 20 British type cotton count.

In another aspect, the weft base comprises staple cotton fibers spun yarn in 16 British type cotton count, having a twist per meter of 4.1 TPM.

In another aspect, the yarn thread count of the pile is 1/13 Hollow yarn.

In another aspect, the twist per meter of the pile is 3.2 TM.

In another aspect, the ground count is 2/20 KW (carded warp/weft) with 55 denier spandex.

In another aspect, the weft count is 1/16 KW (carded warp/weft).

In another aspect, the composite yarn has 8.5 TPI (twist per inch).

In another aspect, the 2-ply composite yearn has a ground count of 1/20 KW with 55 cotton/spandex.

In another aspect, the woven terrycloth stretch fabric further includes a non-stretchy hem/border of the fabric having a count of 2/20 CW (combed warp/weft) with a preshrunk 8.5 TPI.

In another aspect, a method of forming the woven terrycloth stretch fabric includes applying a wet heat set at 60° C. or more to the 2-ply composite yarn before weaving using the warp and/or weft, wherein the constant load elongation rate is more than 480%, and the stretchability is facilitated by relaxing heat treatment at low tension in a post-weaving period.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a terrycloth towel embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 includes an enlarged, fragmentary warpwise sectional view through the towel taken substantially along line 2-2 in FIG. 1, showing the warp, pile and weft fibers in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a composite cotton fiber with a spandex elastic yarn at its core in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a table showing construction details of a stretchy terrycloth in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a table showing construction details of a spandex yarn;

FIG. 6 is a table showing construction details of a spandex yarn; and

FIG. 7 is a table showing properties of a spandex yarn.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 to 3 are diagrams illustrating the stretchy terrycloth of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a towel T representative of a towel that may be produced in accordance with the present invention, as described in detail hereinafter. The towel comprising a base or ground fabric formed of ground warp yarns, weft yarns, and opposing pile surfaces composed of face warp yarns projecting outwardly from the base fabric. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the towel T in FIG. 1 and illustrates the towel construction, wherein sets of ground warp yarns 30 and 40 and weft yarns 50 are interwoven to form a woven base fabric, and terry loop warp yarns 10 and 20 are interwoven to form respective opposing pile surfaces of the terrycloth.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 3 the stretchy terrycloth in accordance with the present invention comprises a face loop warp 10 and a back loop warp 20, which form, respectively the face and back piles of the terrycloth. As is known, piles are the loops that remain on the surface of a terrycloth. Known terry weaving machines impart loops in the fabric produced by warp yarns. Typically two types of warps are processed simultaneously, the ground warp, to be discussed below, with tightly tensioned ends, and the pile warp, including in this case the face loop warp 10 and the back loop warp 20, with lightly tensioned ends.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ground warp comprises a first ground warp 30 and a second ground warp 40. The first and second ground warps 30, 40 each are tightly tensioned around the weft fibers 50 so as to form a terrycloth base of the towel.

In the present invention, rather that attempt to weave separate elastane fibers as one of the warp fibers, or as separate additional fibers, a composite yarn 60 is used in the base of the terrycloth towel, the composite yarn being a cotton yarn having a polyolefin-based elastic yarn 55 as its core.

In particular, a composite yarn 60 is made, for example, of staple cotton fiber spun yarn in 20 British type cotton count having a polyolefin-based elastic yarn 55 as the core in 55 Denier. To form the stretchy terrycloth, the composite yarn 60 is used during weaving to be part of the warp and/or weft stretch base of the towel, wherein the proportion of the polyolefin-based elastic yarn is from 3 to 5% of the whole towel. The terms elastane and spandex will be used interchangeably throughout this application and claims for the above-mentioned polyolefin-based elastic yarn

The use of such a composite yarn 60 in the base provides stretchability to the terrycloth in a manner far superior to a terrycloth that would, for example, have separate woven elastane fibers, or no elastane at all. The composite yarn 60 is preferably used in the base as a part of a 2-ply composite yarn 70, as shown in FIG. 3. The 2-ply composite yarn 70 is formed by false-twisting with a staple cotton fibers spun yarn 65 in 20 British type cotton count. At least one of the ground warps of the base of the terrycloth comprises the 2-ply composite yarn 70. Preferably each of the ground warp 30 and the ground warp 40 of the base comprise the 2-ply composite yarn 70.

To provide directionality to the stretch, it is preferable that the weft fibers do not comprise the 2-ply composite yarn 70. Since most users wrap around the longer dimension of the, for example, towel, it is preferable if the stretch is only provided along this longer dimension, leaving the shorter dimension, formed by the orientation of the weft fibers 50, made of regular cotton, or other appropriate yarn, without the stretchy characteristic. However, the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment, and it is possible to use stretchy material in the weft instead of, or in addition to, the warp.

Although not shown in detail in the figures, as is typical in towels, an outer, pile-free, border or hem of the towel is provided, the border preferably not using the stretch fibers discussed above.

The twist per inch of the core of polyolefin based elastic yarn 55 of the composite yarn 60 is preferably 8.5. The core of polyolefin based elastic yarn of the composite yarn is preferably more than 100 dtex for use in the warp stretch base, wherein, as discussed above, it is then false-twist with a staple cotton fibers spun yarn in 20 British type cotton count to the form the 2-ply composite yarn 70.

Preferably the weft base 50 comprises staple cotton fibers spun yarn in 16 British type cotton count, twist per meter of 4.1. Firstly, the warp is fully spread/stretched, wherein the 16 British type cotton count yarn of the weft is crosslinked. Then the weft direction of the constant load pre-draft within 11.5+/−3%, wherein the washing shrinkage rate of 8% or less.

Since the piles of terrycloth do not add to the structural integrity or relate to the overall stretch of the terrycloth fabric, preferably neither the face loop warp 10 nor the back loop warp 20, which form, respectively the face and back piles of the terrycloth, are made of the 2-ply composite 70.

FIG. 4 provides a preferred construction detail with regard to the pile, the base (including the warp and weft) as well as the hem/border of the towel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the pile count, i.e., the yarn thread count of the pile, is preferably 1/13 Hollow yarn. The twist per meter of the pile (pile TM) is preferably 3.2 TM.

As shown in FIG. 4, the ground count according to the invention is preferably 2/20 KW (carded warp/weft) with 55 denier spandex. The stretchy composite yarn 60 has 8.5 TPI (twist per inch). The cotton/spandex blend has a ground count of 1/20 KW with 55 cotton/spandex.

As shown in FIG. 4, the weft count is 1/16 KW and the weft twists per meter is 4.1 TM. At the hem/border of the fabric the count is 2/20 CW (combed warp/weft) with a preshrunk 8.5 TPI.

During manufacturing of the terrycloth according to the present invention, a wet heat set at 60° C. or more is applied to the 2-ply composite yarn 70 before weaving using the warp and/or weft, constant load elongation rate is more than 480%, by relaxing heat treatment at low tension of a post-weaving method for producing a stretch terrycloth, to effect/create the stretchability

The stretch terrycloth of the present invention can be used in a number of applications. For example, bath towels may be formed using at least a part of the stretch terrycloth as described. Similarly hair towels may be so formed, as well as beach and gym towels.

While the above stretch terrycloth has been described as having stretchability only in the ground warp fibers, multi-directional flexibility can be provided by also using the 2-ply composite yarn in the weft as well as in the warp.

Although the invention is not limited to any particular type of elastic fiber, for reference, FIGS. 5-7 provide construction details of a typical spandex yarn that can be used in the present invention.

On the basis of the above, a terrycloth having stretchability, in one or more directions, is provided.

Thus, while there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto. claims 

What is claimed is:
 1. A woven terrycloth stretch fabric comprising: a plurality of weft yarns arranged along a first direction so as to form a weft base; a plurality of first ground warp yarns arranged along a second direction; a plurality of second ground warp yarns arranged along the second direction, the first and second ground warp yarns being looped around the weft yarns with a first degree of tightness; a plurality of face loop warp yarns; and a plurality of back loop warp yarns, the face loop and back loop yarns being looped around the weft yarns with a second degree of tightness, less tight than the first degree of tightness, wherein the first and second ground warp yarns, together with the weft yarns, form a base ground of the terrycloth stretch fabric, wherein the plurality of face loop warp yarns and the plurality of back loop warp yarns each loop around the weft yarns so as to form front and back piles of the terrycloth stretch fabric, and wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of the first and second ground warp yarns comprises a composite yarn comprising a cotton yarn having a core made of polyolefin-based elastic yarn.
 2. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second ground warp yarns comprise a two-ply composite yarn, the two-ply composite yarn comprising a cotton yarn twisted together with the composite yarn having the core made of polyolefin-based elastic yarn.
 3. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 2, wherein the twist per inch of the core of polyolefin based elastic yarn of the composite yarn is 8.5 TPI.
 4. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 2, wherein the core of polyolefin based elastic yarn of the composite yarn is more than 100 dtex.
 5. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 2, wherein the cotton yarn that is twisted together with the composite yarn having the core made of polyolefin-based elastic yarn to form the 2-ply composite yarn comprises staple cotton fibers spun yarn in 20 British type cotton count.
 6. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 1, wherein the weft base comprises staple cotton fibers spun yarn in 16 British type cotton count, having a twist per meter of 4.1 TPM.
 7. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 1, wherein the yarn thread count of the pile is 1/13 Hollow yarn.
 8. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 7, wherein the twist per meter of the pile is 3.2 TM.
 9. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 2, wherein the ground count is 2/20 KW (carded warp/weft) with 55 denier spandex.
 10. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 2, wherein the weft count is 1/16 KW (carded warp/weft).
 11. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 1, wherein the composite yarn has 8.5 TPI (twist per inch).
 12. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 2, wherein the 2-ply composite yearn has a ground count of 1/20 KW with 55 cotton/spandex.
 13. The woven terrycloth stretch fabric according to claim 1, further comprising a non-stretchy hem/border of the fabric having a count of 2/20 CW (combed warp/weft) with a preshrunk 8.5 TPI.
 14. A method of forming the woven terrycloth stretch fabric of claim 2, comprising applying a wet heat set at 60° C. or more to the 2-ply composite yarn before weaving using the warp and/or weft, wherein the constant load elongation rate is more than 480%, and the stretchability is facilitated by relaxing heat treatment at low tension in a post-weaving period. 